1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to carrier devices. In particular, it relates to foldable lightweight carriers which can transport an entire set of ski equipment including skis, poles and boots as well as providing pockets for ski outfits, glasses, etc., and when not transporting equipment, can easily be folded to fit within a ski locker for safe storage while the user is skiing.
2. Background Art
Skiing is a sport which requires numerous items of special equipment which due to their odd shapes and sheer weight can be inconvenient to carry. In particular, the skis and poles are too long to be accommodated by a general purpose carrier such as luggage, while other equipment such as ski boots tend to be too bulky, awkward, or heavy for many luggage cases. As a result, the prior art has attempted to provide devices suitable for carrying the uniquely shaped equipment used by skiers. While improving the ease with which skiers can transport various combinations of skiing equipment, these devices are typically either too large or odd shaped to fit within a ski locker such that they can be safely stored while the skier is on the ski slopes.
One category of known devices are clamping devices which hold skis and poles. These devices allow for more convenient carrying of the skis and poles but do not provide for the other items of equipment such as boots, clothing, etc. A drawback to this category of device is that the other items of equipment, such as boots, sunglasses, clothing, etc., must be carried separately.
In addition, the size of the device, either due to its shape, its sheer bulk, or the materials used to construct it (i.e., rigid plastic or metal) does not allow convenient and safe storage while the user is skiing because the size of a typical ski locker is too small to accommodate the device. As a result, the carrier is exposed to theft or damage while its owner is skiing.
Boot carriers have also been developed to provide a more convenient way of transporting bulky ski boots. Some boot carriers also contain storage pockets for small items, but do not provide the ability to hold skis and poles. As was the case above, this category of device provides only a partial solution since it does not have the capacity to transport all of the equipment used by a skier, and in addition, will not fit in a typical ski locker.
Another problem confronting skiers is the possibility of damaging equipment by dropping one or more items. When dropped, the equipment can be scratched, broken, etc. An advantage of the device disclosed herein is that all of the ski equipment can be carried by a single device. When ski equipment is carried separately, the possibility of dropping an item of ski equipment is increased. Likewise, since the device embodying the preferred embodiment is constructed of soft material, even if the carrier is dropped the possibility of damage to equipment is reduced.
A third category of devices have been developed which carry boots, skis and poles. These devices are typically either too rigid and/or bulky to conveniently fit within a ski locker.
The prior art has failed to provide a carrier device which is simple and lightweight in construction, which provides a soft flexible form to help protect equipment if dropped, which is capable of carrying any or all of the ski equipment desired by the skier, and which is capable of folding into a compact size for safe storage in a ski locker while the skier is skiing.